JUICY SUITS: Beaten By a Broadway Cabbie

 A Portland hotel security guard is suing Broadway Cab and a former cabbie, claiming the cabbie beat him up.

In a lawsuit filed last month in Multnomah County Circuit Court, Ahmed Alenzi says he was working security at the Lloyd District's Doubletree Hotel on April 23, 2009, when he was physically attacked by cabbie Tsegay Wenzel (see mug shot).

In a police report obtained by WW, Officer Charles Asheim says he arrived at the hotel and found Alenzi on top of Wenzel with a bleeding right hand, a red right cheek and streaks of blood on his shirt. Wenzel was on his back with welts on his face and struggling to get away from Alenzi.

Alenzi told Asheim that Wenzel became angry when another driver cut him off in line to pick up passengers. Wenzel started yelling and Alenzi asked him to leave the property. Wenzel moved to the street and continued yelling profanities, Alenzi said. When Alenzi confronted Wenzel, he claimed that Wenzel attacked, hitting Alenzi and choking him until Alenzi head-butted Wenzel.

Wenzel gave a different version, saying Alenzi pulled him from his cab and attacked him. But Asheim's report says several witnesses corroborated Alenzi's story. Wenzel went to jail, and in 2010, a jury convicted him of fourth-degree assault and second-degree disorderly conduct. Wenzel was acquitted on one count of strangulation and sentenced to 18 months' probation.

The lawsuit, filed by Portland lawyer Martin Alvey, seeks $9,622 for medical bills plus $300,000 for pain and suffering. The suit says Broadway is also responsible because the company hired Wenzel, failed to train him and failed to warn others about Wenzel's "known violent propensities."

Wenzel and Broadway Cab President Raye Miles declined to comment. Miles confirmed that Wenzel no longer works for Broadway Cab.

WWeek 2015

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